To George Bentham¹    24 January 1866

24/1/66

It was my intention, dear Mr Bentham, to have sent you the rest of Compositae this month, but it was impossible. A number of queries concerning ferns rendered it necessary to spend for 2 or 3 weeks my scattered sparehours on the elucidation of all Austr. ferns (about 150 restricted to my sense of species).² Then the temporary disasters of the Leichh. Expedition have prayed³ on my mind & I had as Aide de Camp of the Ladies Committee a great deal of responsible extra work thrown on me; and lastly I find, that I must investigate all the S. African & N. Zeal. genera of Gnaphalieae, until I can form an estimate of the boundaries which should separate the genera of this group.

You have however, I should think, still ample material in hand & I shall under any circumstances not keep you long waiting. When the Compositae have been absolved, there will be less difficulty, in as much as the sequent orders rest on more solid foundations in RBr. & DC pr., though in both works the species are ill defined & though many orders such as Goodeniaceae, Epacrideae, Myoporinae, Verbenaceae, Solaneae &c have since received large additions, mostly however worked up in detail by myself. I should think, that the fine transverse sections of the Eucalyptus stems, which I sent to Kew, will give you a fair idea of the cortical characters The occurence of Maesa, Ophiorrhiza, Connarus, Casearia, Angiopteris, noted in the new number of the fragmenta⁴ will interest you. I believe I made an error in sending the flowering specimens of Gardenia or Randia Leepeana as G. or R. Fitzalani. Not having the specimens here now, I can say nothing positively, but you will easily find it out

I am delighted with your working on Eucalyptus. Your critil⁵ acumen will penetrate the chaotic mass well & you may be pleased to have laid a ground work for the systematic arrangement of these trees more important as a tree-genus, than any other of the Globe unless Pinus in its widest sense, & perhaps Quercus. Though Acacia is the largest genus but few are arborescent & except A. Melanoxylon none over 100' high, whereas Eucalytpti are known to grow 300' & rarely 400' high! I will resume the labours on my once commenced monogram,⁶ if fund for illustrations should be voted Would it not be well to send the Myrtaceae &c small orders to print as a half volume & bind up the volume when the Compositae are done, which will take you the whole of 1866, as you have to look to the renovation of the generic characters as well.

I should think a map for the flora could be had for £5 This it would certainly be worth to spend on it.⁷

Sambucus Gaudichaudi⁸ I have now also as far north as Keppel's⁹ Bay! from Thozet.

Your attached

Ferd Mueller

Acacia Melanoxylon

Angiopteris

Casearia

Compositae

Connarus

Dalbergia monosperma

Epacrideae

Eucalytptus

Gardenia Fitzalani

Gardenia Leepeana

Gnaphalieae

Goodeniaceae

Leguminosae

Maesa

Myoporinae

Myrtaceae

Ophiorrhiza australiana

Ophiorrhiza leptantha

Pinus

Quercus

Randia densiflora

Randia Fitzalani

Randia Leepeana

Sambucus Gaudichaudiana

Solaneae

Verbenaceae